DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

President Luis Abinader presented the state of affairs of the banking system in the Dominican Republic. He highlighted how the system now presents RD$4 billion in assets.

During the same presentation, Superintendent of Banks Alejandro Fernandez stressed the importance of a strong banking system and the positive implications for public and private financing.

The Dominican banking system was strengthened when Congress approved the passing of the pension plans and health insurance providers to bank affiliates. These entities have resulted in high yields for the financial companies.

Follow the story: La Semanal 6 October 2025 Presidency El Dia

7 October 2025

United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi participated in the First World Governments Summit – Latin America and Caribbean Dialogue hosted by President Luis Abinader in Punta Cana on 2nd and 3rd October 2025.

The government of the UAE highlighted how she held several bilateral meetings with senior officials from the Dominican Republic on the sidelines of the first WGS-LAC Dialogue to discuss opportunities to strengthen UAE-Dominican Republic bilateral relations and explore economic and investment opportunities between the two nations.

During the high-level meeting, President Abinader and Foreign Minister Al Kaabi witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the World Governments Summit and the Centro de Análisis para Políticas Públicas. The agreement serves as a testament to the growing relationship between the UAE and the Dominican Republic, while extending cooperation to the broader Latin America and Caribbean region.

The UAE...

BSD Global Exploration reported on 6 October 2025 the discovery of oil & natural gas deposits through 3D seismic technology. In a press release, the company announced, based on seismic analysis, the discovery of both oil and natural gas deposits in commercially exploitable quantities in a land area located in the northwestern province of Montecristi.

The company says the oil and gas deposits were located by BSD’s proprietary remote technology and supported by a 3D seismic analysis. BSD’s cutting-edge technology, which is capable of remotely locating any natural resource to a depth of 8,000 meters in soil or water, is completely reinventing the world’s search for hydrocarbons.

Although drilling has not begun, geophysicist Paul McColgan has stated that “this is one of the best targets I have seen in my 25 years in the hydrocarbon industry.”

Based on the processed seismic data, there are estimated to be hundreds of millions of barrels and BTUs of hydrocarbons present for...

CIFI LATAM, S.A. and CIFI Sustainable Infrastructure Debt Fund L.P., would be involved in providing credit to North Bay Development, S.A.S. (an affiliate of Energía 2000, S.A.) for the refinancing of a 345kV, 128-kilometer transmission line located in the Montecristi and Santiago provinces of the Dominican Republic.

The improvement of transmission lines to reduce losses is key to the distribution of power in the Dominican Republic.

The line is essential for the distribution of the energy to be generated in Montecristi. The Montecristi power generation is the most important to go on the grid in 2025-2026 during the Abinader administration.

In the Monte Cristi province, construction includes the Manzanillo Power Land project, a 414 MW natural gas-fired plant, and the associated 345kV, 128km dispatch infrastructure currently being developed.

Read...

The Dominican government’s push for a more “just, efficient, and sustainable” electricity system saw a major operation as the Empresa Distribuidora de Electricidad del Este (Edeeste), the power distribution company, has joined forces with the Prosecutor’s Office for the Electrical System (Pgase) to combat rampant power theft. The joint operation targeted several commercial establishments in Santo Domingo East (SDE), uncovering numerous illegal connections that have been bleeding the utility dry.

The crackdown recently successfully dismantled several fraudulent connections in various businesses, including Carnicería Dios Provee, Carnicería y Pescadería Altagracia, Manao Cell Comercial, and food services companies Morphi and Jorge Burgos Grupo SRL.

Edeeste’s technical analysis revealed the severity of the theft. The utility estimated that the power losses from the inspected businesses alone amounted to approximately RD$3 million annually. One business, in particular, was found...

Shipments continue to enter Haiti with expectations of subsequently smuggling the larger portion of the cigarettes into the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic Army (ERD) is intensifying its efforts to combat cross-border smuggling, underscored by the seizure of a significant cache of 160,000 units of foreign-sourced cigarettes at a military checkpoint in the border province of Montecristi.

The confiscation occurred at the Las Matas de Santa Cruz military checkpoint as troops inspected a white Kia truck (plate L434718). The contraband was discovered cleverly concealed among baskets of vegetables in the rear of the vehicle, a common tactic employed by smugglers to evade detection.

The cargo was comprised of 15 cases of Capital brand cigarettes, totaling 150,000 units, and one case of Jaisalmer brand, adding another 10,000 units.

The driver, identified as Wininyer Andrés Uceta Ortiz, and his passenger, Jordy Liriano Valerio, were immediately detained. Both...

The National Student Transportation System (TRAE) is sending a clear message on student safety: there will be zero tolerance for drug use. The authority announced that 12 bus drivers were immediately dismissed after failing random drug tests, part of the institution’s rigorous safety protocol designed to protect schoolchildren. The program was created during the Abinader administration to ensure safe transport for children to public schools.

Gabino Hernández, director of TRAE, emphasized that ensuring the integrity of students is the program’s foremost commitment. “We have a well-defined protocol: when a driver applies, we test them before they start, and then we conduct tests randomly while they are on the job,” Hernández said during an appearance on the program Fuera de Récord on Catorce TV.

“I can tell you some have tested positive and are immediately dismissed, because we will not compromise with anyone or anything on this; we are dealing with children,” the official...

The Dominican Republic’s flagship literacy initiative, the Permanent Literacy Service (SEPA), is facing heavy criticism after an investigation revealed a surging payroll and minimal results, fueling concerns that a key educational program has devolved into a mechanism for political patronage, Noticias SIN on Channel 9 reports.

Investigative journalist Alicia Ortega is looking into the millions that seem to be wasted on wages with little to show.

Despite a massive monthly budget expenditure exceeding RD$111 million and total spending over RD$4.2 billion between 2023 and 2024, the program, run by the Ministry of Education, managed to teach just 4,742 people to read and write in that same period.

The SEPA program was relaunched in January 2024 to tackle the nation’s 6.5% illiteracy rate. However, results have stalled, with the illiteracy rate stubbornly holding around 6% or even slightly increasing in some vulnerable areas, according to reports like the 2025 Enhogar Survey...

Minister of Interior and Police Faride Raful and the director general of the National Police, Major General Ramón Antonio Guzmán Peralta were not available this Monday, 6 October 2025 for their customary post-Security Joint Task Force meeting press conference.

The unusual no-show comes amid explosive revelations in the “La Barranquita case,” where five individuals were killed during a police operation. The Attorney General Office Public Ministry’s request for coercive measures against eleven police agents directly contradicted the initial official police version of events.

The prosecution investigative file reveals that none of the five victims fired a weapon, a finding that shatters the police’s original claim that the men “faced agents with gunfire.”

According to the Public Ministry, autopsy results, ballistic analyses, and gunshot residue tests all confirm that the victims did not discharge firearms. Furthermore, the projectiles recovered from the bodies match those...

Out in the eastern province of La Altagracia, a man was driving his children to school and his wife to work when he came across a very exotic animal, an ant-eater, wandering the streets of the municipality of Veron.

Eventually, the man called the authorities at the National Zoo in Santo Domingo, and the animal is now under their care.

In the National Zoo there are a pair of giant ant-eaters named “Hor-acio” and “Hor-tencia” and their new baby girl “Hor-quídia” (Orchid in Spanish). The yet-to-be-named ant-eater is of a different species than these giant ant-eaters and is of one generally found in Central America and parts of South America.

According to the authorities, the animal is not listed on any invoice for exotic animals permitted into the Dominican Republic.

Read more in...

The Dominican Republic’s sprinting superstar, Marileidy Paulino, will contest her final race of 2025 this Friday, 10 October at the Athlos event in New York City. Paulino is the defending champion in the race in the 400m.

The two-time Olympic medalist (Paris 2024 gold and Tokyo 2021 silver) and World medalist is looking to finish her season on a high note in what will be her 14th competitive outing across the 200m and 400m distances this year.

Paulino enters the final event having already secured her place in the history books for 2025. Following the World Athletics Championships in September 2025 in Tokyo, she became the first Dominican and Latina athlete to run under the 48-second barrier in the 400m with a stunning time of 47.98 seconds.

All eyes at the meet will be on the latest chapter of Paulino’s gripping rivalry with Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, who is coached...

Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr delighted his fans when adding four runs to the 13-7 defeat the Canadian team landed on Sunday 5 October 2025 when playing the New York Yankees. The teams are playing in the American League Division Series, the round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) playoffs where two best-of-five series determine which American League teams advance to the American League Championship Series.

In the American League playoffs, the Blue Jays and the New York Yankees are now tied leading the semi finals between the Blue Jays, Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Rays and Baltimore Orioles in the American League East division.

The Toronto Blue Jays are 2-0 over the New York Yankees in the best-of-five series as the action now moves to the Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, 8 October. The Blue Jays also won the first game, 10-1.

In his role as sportscaster, Dominican...

The Dominican Weather Institute (Indomet) reports conditions of high surf will continue on the north coast if the present system moving to the west towards Dominican Republic continues on this path. The north coast has been affected by recent storms that have been delivering high surf for the past two weeks.

The broad area of low pressure associated with a low-latitude tropical wave continues to produce a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms over the tropical central Atlantic as the system makes its way to the Caribbean. The National Hurricane Center of the United States says there is a 70% chance that the storm will develop.

The environmental conditions appear generally conducive for the gradual development of the system. NHC says that a tropical depression is likely to form within the next few days while it moves quickly west-northwestward across...

Oceanman organizes long-distance racing all around the world. This October 2025, the international event is coming to La Romana/La Altagracia to compete at the first Oceanman Dominican Republic.

The combination of outstanding beach, comfortable beach resort accommodations and the promixity to three international airports and the locations of Santo Domingo, La Romana and Punta Cana led to a quick sellout the Oceanman distance swimming event at Viva Dominicus Beach.

Viva Resorts by Wyndham is hosting the inaugural Oceanman Dominican Republic. The event is part of the world’s leading open-water swimming series and will take place from 10 to 12 October 2025, at the Viva Dominicus Beach and Palace resorts in Bayahibe.

The long-distance swimming competition attracts male and female amateur and professional swimmers from around the globe who were also prompt to register in the Dominican Republic Oceanman. Likewise, dozens of competitors are participating for the Dominican...

The Dominican Republic has received 8,592,694 visitors in the first nine months of the year (January-September 2025), a clear sign of the tourism sector’s consistent growth and economic impact, according to a Ministry of Tourism press release. Air traffic in September is up 4.6% compared to September 2024.

Speaking at a press conference in the capital, Minister David Collado detailed the industry’s performance, indicating there has been a 49% increase when compared to pre-pandemic year of 2019 and a 2.6% increase year-over-year compared to 2024.

The total number of visitors includes tourists arriving by air and cruise passengers:• Air tourists: 6,575,483 arrivals were recorded, which is a 32% growth from 2019, a 9% growth from 2023, and a 2.3% increase over 2024.• Cruise passengers: 2,017,221 cruise passengers were received.

“These two numbers mark another record: the...

Marriott is promoting the new W Punta Cana located in Uvero Alto, in northern Punta Cana.

The hotel is an adults-only resort. It is a short distance from El Macao surfers’ beach and eco visits to the Laguna Nisibon and Playa La Vacama. The project is a Grupo Punta Cana US$160 million investment.

President Luis Abinader was at the hotel for the formal inauguration on Sunday, 5 October 2025 that was hosted by the top executives of Punta Cana Group, founder Frank Rainieri and his son, chief executive officer Frank Elias Rainieri.

During his weekly 6 October 2025 press conference, President Abinader proudly touted that the W Punta Cana is Marriott’s first all-inclusive luxury resort of the W brand.

The resort has 340 rooms and suites, 12 restaurants and an Away Spa. The hotel was fully designed for the enjoyment and comfort of adults with immersive experiences...

American Airlines is ready for the start on 6 December 2025 of its Saturdays-only non-stop connections from Indianapolis (IND), Nashville (BNA) and Pittsburgh (PIT) to Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ).

The flights are part of an expansion of American Airlines’ winter 2025-26 schedule.

The increasing start of nonstop flights that open up new destinations are fueling the continued boom of Punta Cana as a preferred US beach vacation destination.

Read more American Airlines

7 October 2025

Altos de Chavón is gearing up for a grand celebration of its four-decade milestone, headlined by a tribute to Frank Sinatra that promises to be a spectacular throwback to the venue’s glamorous past.

The iconic amphitheater will host the event on Saturday, 11 October 2025 at 8pm, recreating the atmosphere of the legendary crooner’s inaugural performance there 40 years ago.

The centerpiece of the evening will be the Big Band Santo Domingo Pops, a 16-musician ensemble under the production and musical direction of Amaury Sánchez.

The show will feature a stellar lineup of guest artists, including Máximo Martínez, Héctor Aníbal, Laura Rivera, and José Guillermo Cortines. They are set to perform 22 classic Jazz Standards, a set list that includes some of Sinatra’s most beloved hits like “Strangers in the Night,” “My Way,” “New York, New York,” “Come Fly With Me,” “I Got You Under...

Oceanman organized long-distance racing all around the world. This October 2025, the international event is coming to La Romana/La Altagracia to compete at the first Oceanman Dominican Republic.

The combination of outstanding beach, good accommodations and promixity to three international airports and the destinations of Santo Domingo and Punta Cana led to a quick sellout the Oceanman distance swimming event at Viva Dominicus Beach.

Viva Resorts by Wyndham is hosting the inaugural Oceanman Dominican Republic. The event has been accepted as part of the world’s leading open-water swimming series and will take place from 10 to 12 October 2025, at the Viva Dominicus Beach and Palace resorts in Bayahibe.

The long-distance swimming competition attracted male and female amateur and professional swimmers from around the globe who were prompt to register, including many from the Dominican Republic.

Multiple categories and distances are available for all skill levels, from youth...

Who said the Dominican people are not interested in reading? The Feria Internacional del Libro Santo Domingo 2025 (FILSD 2025) proved the contrary. FILSD 2025 closed on Sunday, 5 October with record-breaking sales and attendance. That the Dominican people are avid to read and learn was apparent to all who attended.

The Ministry of Culture hailed the event as a monumental achievement, solidifying its status as the most important literary gathering in the Dominican Republic and the wider Caribbean region, El Caribe reported.

The success of the book fair says lots to the real mindset of the population in regards to cultural activities. The people responded in droves to the event that delivered comfortable air-conditioned pavilions, participation of hundreds of Dominican and international authors, and the many book and culture free activities that were...

President Luis Abinader extolled the main assets of the Dominican Republic that make the country a prime location as a logistic, sustainable and democratic reference point in the Caribbean when speaking at the principal session of the World Government Summit-Latin America and the Caribbean Dialogue held in Punta Cana.

Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic, affirmed that the partnership with the World Governments Summit (WGS) strengthens a vital bridge between Latin America and the United Arab Emirates.

The President emphasized that by deepening cooperation in the fields of innovation, trade, and good governance, both sides are expanding opportunities for their people and building a more competitive, resilient, and prosperous region.

President Abinader highlighted that the Dominican Republic is ready to consolidate itself and become the...

Seizing emerging opportunities and enabling private sector solutions would allow the Dominican Republic to pivot toward a more competitive, inclusive, and resilient economic trajectory, according to a new report published recently by the World Bank.

The Dominican Republic Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD), jointly prepared by IFC and IBRD, identifies policy actions to reduce cross-cutting constraints to private investment, such as a complex business environment and skills mismatches, and make substantial contributions to development impact, including in job creation and export diversification. The study argues that, given the global reconfiguration of global value chains, the country’s unique selling proposition should be more strongly based on structural and sustainable competitive advantages.

“The Dominican Republic is endowed with productive resources that, together with market-oriented...

The Dominican Republic is set to aggressively court high-value foreign direct investment (FDI) with a new cooperative agreement between its Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs (MICM) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group.

The two entities formalized a US$400,000 cooperation agreement on 18 September 2025 aimed at strengthening the attraction of sustainable FDI into strategic, high-value-added manufacturing sectors within the country’s free trade zones.

The project, titled “Investments in High-Value-Added Manufacturing in the Dominican Republic,” will focus on key growth industries. It mandates comprehensive sector analyses, the generation of new investment opportunities, and the creation of targeted value propositions for industries with significant national potential, including medical and health technology devices...

Three Supreme Court Justices were not confirmed as the National Council of the Magistracy (CNM) moves forward to appoint new judges starting Monday, 6 October 2025.

President Luis Abinader would appear to be on the way to increase his influence in the Supreme Court of Justice. At present most of its justices were elected during the days of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) hegemony of former President Danilo Medina.

The National Council of the Magistracy (CNM) decided on Friday, 3 October 2025 to not extend the terms of three Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) judges who had sought to remain in their posts after completing their first seven-year term.

Justices Pilar Jiménez Ortiz, Manuel Alexis Read, and Moisés Ferrer will not continue in their roles, a decision made public after the performance evaluation phase concluded under the leadership of President Luis Abinader.

The...

The Ministry of Foreign Relations has been working overtime to obtain a renewal of the HOPE/HELP laws that had granted special, dutyfree, status of products originating in the unique factory of Codevi in Ouanaminthe, Haiti.

The factory is a partnership of Dominican and Haitian enterprises that is now the largest employer of with around 20,000 jobs for Haitians in the northern part of that nation. It is part of a “twin system” of manufacturing facilities, and it has been successful.

However, the legislation known as the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) and the Haitian Economic Lift Program (HELP) expired on 30 September 2025. The Wall Street Journal noted that “the US has disconnected the last large industry in Haiti.”

Nonetheless, Fernando Capellan, the president of Codevi, noted that since there had been no...

The Central Electoral Board (JCE) has formalized a significant agreement with the Emdoc consortium to kickstart the nationwide renewal of the country’s national identity and electoral card, the Cédula de Identidad y Electoral.

The contract, valued at RD$3.36 billion, covers the supply of necessary equipment, materials, and services to overhaul the foundational identity document, which is currently expired for nearly all Dominican citizens.

The signing of this contract marks the official launch of the long-awaited renewal process. The JCE has announced a plan for citizens to renew their card during their birth month in 2026.

To expedite the delivery of new cards to an estimated 9,412,353 citizens and residents, the JCE will establish 347 centers both domestically and abroad. Furthermore, mobile units will operate 24 hours a day to ensure efficient...

The National Institute of Professional Technical Training (Infotep) has seen an explosive expansion over the past five years, according to remarks made by Minister of the Presidency José Ignacio Paliza at the recent inauguration of a new center in Jarabacoa, La Vega.

Paliza, heading the opening of a new Infotep center in Jarabacoa, La Vega province, highlighted the dramatic increase in technical training facilities as a key achievement of the Luis Abinader administration.

“In only five years, we’ve gone from eight Infotep centers to 62 across the entire country,” Paliza stated, emphasizing the government’s commitment to technical education and creating opportunities for Dominican youth. The 62 centers are now spread across all major regional directorates: Cibao North, Cibao South, East, Metropolitan, Oriental, and South.

The Minister explained that...

The National Institute of Transit and Ground Transportation (Intant) announced Mobility ID Consortium was chosen to be the provider of driver’s licenses in the Dominican Republic. The entity replaces Dekolor, the company that has managed the citizen data system for driver’s licenses for the past 20 years.

Milton Morrison, Intrant’s director, said in a press release the move is projected to generate approximately RD$1 billion in economic benefits for the government.

The new agreement immediately terminates all legal ties with Dekolor.

Morrison emphasized that the key change is the direct control the Dominican government will now have over citizen information, a shift he guarantees will ensure greater security and transparency in the licensing process.

This development follows a tumultuous period. Intrant had filed a formal complaint against Dekolor after alleging an attempt by the...

According to early October 2025 reports, Financial Times (FT) reported that BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) is in advanced negotiations to acquire the power company AES Corp for approximately $38 billion, a deal that could include over US$29 billion in debt.

The FT report cautions that the deal was not guaranteed and negotiations could still fail.

AES Dominicana and its local partners make it the largest private energy provider in the Dominican Republic. AES has been instrumental in developing the country’s natural gas infrastructure, including pipelines and LNG terminals.

The Financial Times describes if the move goes through, it would be one of the largest infrastructure takeovers of all time.

GIP owns stakes in London’s Gatwick airport and large pipeline networks in the US and Middle East.

AES, one of the largest publicly...

Police reform under the Abinader administration has brought with it an increase in the interest of women joining the force. President Luis Abinader seems to think so as he appointed a woman to be his Minister of Interior and Police. The Ministry of Interior and Police heads the program to transform the Police. Several leading academicians have been appointed to key roles in the program.

Minister of Interior and Police Faride Raful last week announced a significant surge in interest among young women for careers in the National Police, citing the development as proof of the institution’s increasingly inclusive transformation process, Diario Libre reports.

Speaking at a launch event for auxiliary police officers in Santo Domingo Este, Raful revealed that more than 15,000 young women have applied to join the force.

This massive interest comes despite an initial call for only 2,000 new cadet slots, which separately drew 6,000 young applicants in addition to the 15,000 women...

A scathing investigation by the Public Ministry (prosecutor’s office of the Attorney General Office – PGR) has dismantled the initial version provided by the National Police (PN) regarding the fatal shooting of five men in La Barranquita, Santiago, with prosecutors now alleging the incident was a premeditated extrajudicial execution.

The investigation was carried out after the family of one of the deceased, a barber, pressured and caused indignation in Santiago that led to the calling that the PGR carry out a thorough investigation. Investigations into Police shootouts in the DR are the exception, not the rule, given that the population in general has favored the extrajudicial executions, especially in the case of persons known to have committed several crimes who have found loopholes to evade justice.

The PN had initially claimed the deaths occurred during a fierce...

Ecologists, marine biologists, and groups created to protect the Dominican coral reefs were all quite content when a five-meter-tall statue of the Taino figure Atabey was placed on the floor of the ocean in Sosua Bay. The statue, made of reinforced pH-neutral concrete serves as an artificial reef, and the starting point for hundreds of new corals, as well as a marine sanctuary. There were no religious ceremonies carried out when it was placed on the sea bottom, and the symbology was purely a reflection of the ancient respect that the Taino Indians had for their environment.

The growing coral reefs protect the coastline and attract other marine life, which, in turn makes Sosua more attractive as a tourist destination.

In spite of this, two religious figures, a priest and a pastor have petitioned the local city council for its removal as a pagan image, and the...

Ivonne Arias, Clara Revuelta and Heidy Santana / Listin Diario

The local representative for the very large Spanish non-profit Cesal (Center for Studies and Solidarity with Latin America), Clara Revuelta, explained to the Listin Diario’s Ivonne Arias and Heidy Santana from the Propagas Foundation, just what Cesal has been doing in the Deep South of the Dominican Republic, Listin Diario reports.

The Abinader administration is pouring billions into the development of Pedernales, a border province with Haiti. The investments include resort hotels that would be managed by Spanish corporations. Cesal is strong on gastronomy programs.

It should be noted that Cesal is a multi-national NGO that has operations in 14 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa, and is well funded by the Spanish government. In the Dominican Republic, Cesal is...

The Ozama River, the vital water source for Greater Santo Domingo that divides the National District from Eastern Santo Domingo in Greater Santo Domingo, is under the threat of tons of solid waste that continue to accumulate at the Santo Domingo Este city government Cancino transfer station, mere meters from its bank. This ongoing operation blatantly violates a two-year-old mandate from the Ministry of the Environment that required its definitive closure, Diario Libre reports.

The transfer stations in Santo Domingo Este —the nation’s most populous municipality, generating between 1,500 and 1,600 tons of solid waste daily— were ordered shut down by then-Environment Minister Orlando Jorge Mera in 2022. Resolutions 0006-2022 and 0007-2022 cited their location within the protected Ozama Wetlands area as the reason for total closure.

Diario Libre points out that the...

Chinese community advocates Rosa Ng and Ng Cortiñas are optimists and both are lobbying for the government to allow the reopening of many Chinese mega stores that have been closed for violating local laws. The owners and supporters complain of discrimination. Eleven Chinese mega stores of around 200 following the same structural model remain closed for violations to labor, tax and construction laws. Most of these stores had been operating for years.

An investigation carried out by Nuria Piera into the subject reveals that government institutions had been notifying the Chinese stores of the irregularities, with these paying fines for the violations. Most of the mega stores have complied with the Dominican laws and have been allowed to open.

Nevertheless, structural engineer Luis Adolfo Abbott, who participated in the inspections for the Ministry of Housing, told Nuria Piera...

Foreign Relations Minister Roberto Álvarez underscored the nation’s “strategic relevance” to the United States, calling the US the country’s principal commercial partner and political ally.

Álvarez delivered the keynote address, “The Dominican Republic in an Uncertain Geopolitical World,” at the Organization of American States (OAS) headquarters as part of the 33rd edition of Dominican Week in the United States. His presentation offered a detailed analysis of the current bilateral relationship and the steps the Dominican Republic is taking to strengthen it.

The Foreign Relations Minister emphasized the robust economic ties, revealing that trade in goods between the two countries totaled US$154.8 billion between 2015 and 2024, as reported in El Dia. US exports accounted for US$98.5 billion, while Dominican exports reached US$56.28 billion.

“The US market consumes 56% of our...

Over 35 Dominican business leaders and officials are currently in Washington and New York to advance crucial issues aimed at strengthening the bilateral economic and business relationship between the Dominican Republic and the United States.

These representatives from the government and the private sector are participating in the 33rd edition of Dominican Week in the U.S., organized by the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic (AmChamDR).

During the opening ceremony, AmCham DR president Francesca Rainieri stated that Dominican Week is the best proof that when the public and private sectors collaborate, “doors of investment, trade, innovation, and cooperation open.”

Rainieri emphasized the importance of the relationship: “The United States is our principal partner: more than 40% of our exports go to this market, and bilateral trade already exceeds...

President Luis Abinader and Environment Minister Paíno Henríquez hailed the advances in titling of protected areas as a “historic milestone” that has cemented the creation and strengthening of the National System of Protected Areas (SINAP).

Minister of Environment Paino Henriquez announced the Dominican Republic has become the first country in the Caribbean to reach the global objective of protecting 30% of its coasts. Henriquez also spoke of the important advances in land titling of the protected areas, backed by Protected Areas Sectorial Law 202-04. He said forest areas are now 44%, up from 10% in 1970. 25.5% of Dominican territory is now under different protected area categories.

Henríquez highlighted that the National System of Protected areas ensures that 85% of the mountain water basins and birthing areas of rivers are under protection, ensuring the source...

The Ministry of Environment is throwing its full weight behind the newly unveiled National Water Plan 2025-2045, a strategic blueprint designed to ensure the sustainable management of water resources in the Dominican Republic for the next two decades.

Environment Minister Paíno Henríquez participated in the official launch event, which gathered top government officials, representatives from international organizations, and leading water sector experts.

The presentation took place at the Aula Magna of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD). Key figures leading the activity included the Administrative Minister of the Presidency, Andrés Bautista; the Spanish Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Lorea Arribalzaga Ceballos; the Executive Director of the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI), Olmedo Caba Romano; and Minister...

Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso has appointed Roberto Santana Sánchez, former rector of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), as the new head of the newly created Penitentiary and Correctional Services Agency (DGSPC).

The move aims to leverage the prison management expertise of the also former university leader to advance the country’s institutional path toward establishing a new Ministry of Justice, which will be tasked with administering the entire prison system.

Santana Sánchez, a widely recognized consultant and current director of the National Office for the Support of Penitentiary Reform (Onaprep), will replace Police Colonel and attorney Roberto Hernández Basilio, who has been reassigned to the police reform leadership team.

Santana Sanchez is the Dominican Repubic’s expert in prison management and is a leading consultant on the matter in Latin America. He...

The Ministry of Education (Minerd) is slated to receive a massive RD$332.03 billion budget for 2026, according to the draft of the National Budget (PGE) bill submitted to the National Congress, El Dia reports. This is the largest ministry allotment in the country.

This allocation for Minerd, the entity that regulates early, primary, and secondary education in the country, marks a significant 7.1% increase over the current 2025 budget. The boost amounts to more than RD$22.06 billion compared to the current year’s budget of RD309.96 billion. If approved without change by legislators the RD332.03 billion would solidify Minerd as the recipient of the largest sectoral expenditure within the Central Government.

By law, the Minerd is consistently assigned 4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the annual National Budget. However, despite this historically significant...

Dominican government ministers of Foreign Relations and Industry & Commerce and business people are taking advantage of Dominican Week in the USA to lobby for the restoration of the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HELP) Act trade preference program that was allowed to expire on 1 October together with the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Fernando Capellan, president of Codevi, the largest private employer in Haiti (around 20,000 jobs) is championing the efforts on behalf of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The mechanism allows for special provisions for the clothing produced in Haiti and Africa and exported to the United States.

For the United States, the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) is also working to continue the programs.

“We are frustrated by the failure to act on these long-standing...

The US Embassy has clarified the requirements for renewing B1/B2 tourist and business visas, confirming that not all applicants will need to appear for an in-person interview. This addresses the recent uncertainty that all visa applicants might be required to attend an interview with a US consular official.

Michelle Angulo, spokesperson and press attaché for the diplomatic mission, explained the specific conditions under which applicants remain eligible for an interview waiver:• Previous visa validity: The previous visa must have been issued with 10 years of validity at the time it was initially issued.• Expiration window: The renewal application must be submitted within 12 months of the previous visa’s expiration date.• Applicant’s age: The applicant must have been at least 18 years old when the previous visa was issued.

The Embassy also stated that a deferred...

The Chamber of Accounts (Cámara de Cuentas), the Dominican Republic’s top government auditing agency, announced the release of four new audit reports, increasing the total number of reports approved under its current administration to 36.

The full body of the Chamber of Accounts approved the new reports during its 17th ordinary session held on 19 September 2025, El Nacional reports.

The newly published audits cover significant public and political entities, focusing on their financial and budgetary management over varying periods:• National Veteran Citizens Party (PNVC): Audited for the period between 1 January 2010, and 31 December 2017.• National Aquarium (Acuario Nacional): Examined the financial statements covering the years 2012 to 2015.• Santiago Municipal Council (Ayuntamiento Municipal de Santiago): Focused on budget execution from 2013 to 2015.• National Police (Policía...

Local media continues to air and publish more details on the many scams that operated at the state insurance plan company, Senasa.

Follow the story in Spanish:

• Catorce TV
• Una Nueva Mañana
• Edith Febles
• Edith Febles on Miguel Ceara Hatton

• Ricardo Nieves
• Interview with Chanel Rosa

The Dominican Weather Institute (Indomet) reports on its 1 October 2025 forecast that residents and visitors can look forward to a period of generally good weather in the Dominican Republic, with forecasters anticipating abundant sunshine and only brief, isolated showers over the next few days.

The most recent forecast, valid from Wednesday, 1 October 2025, at 6am through Friday, 3 October 2025, at 6am, suggests stable conditions will dominate the mornings, though afternoons will bring temporary changes due to atmospheric instability.

Indomet says that Thursday will bring a beautiful morning with mostly clear and sunny skies. The action shifts to the afternoon, when the trough will once again combine with local effects to produce moderate to strong downpours, thunderstorms, and wind gusts. These are primarily expected over provinces in the Cibao region, the Central Mountain Range...

The Dominican Republic is poised to celebrate a historic milestone with the launch of its first-ever dedicated animal festival, the Animal Fest República Dominicana 2025.

The landmark event is scheduled to take place over three days —October 3, 4, and 5— at the Pabellón de las Naciones in the Centro de los Héroes, coinciding with World Animal Day. Admission will be free of charge for all attendees.

More than just a celebration, Animal Fest has a vital mission: to promote responsible pet ownership, animal welfare, and to serve as a crucial fundraiser for the “Ciudad de los Animales” (City of the Animals), an ambitious project dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of abandoned and mistreated animals.

“We want the entire country to feel part of this movement and that together we promote the Ciudad de los Animales project, which will change the history of animal...

In an immersive experience written by extraordinary architect and chronicler Cristian Martinez, “Anaka o na” will be staged at the National Theater’s Sala Ravelo from 9 October to 12 October 2025. Martinez says he wrote the play to explain our ancestry to present and future generations. This is a production by Nileny Dippton.

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• National Theater

The extraordinary life and literary legacy of Dominican historian Frank Moya Pons is at the center stage of the Santo Domingo International Book Fair 2025 with a dedicated pavilion offering a fascinating, immersive journey into his personal and professional world. The Santo Domingo International Book Fair (FILSD) is happening from 5 September through 5 October 2025 at the Plaza de la Cultura at Av. Maximo Gomez.

The pavilion has been set up at the National Library on the Plaza de la Cultura fair grounds with exhibits on his lifelong career dedicated to research and present Dominican history to local and international readership.

Moya Pons is regarded as one of the country’s foremost contemporary chroniclers. The Moya Pons pavilion, conceived by cultural curator Ylonka Nacidit Perdomo, transports visitors to understand the research and writing process undertaken by Moya...

The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Relations announced on 30 September 2025 that it will not extend invitations to Cuba, Venezuela, or Nicaragua for the Tenth Summit of the Americas, set to take place in Punta Cana from 1-5 December 2025.

The Ministry of Foreign Relations explains that the decision, intends to “prioritize the success of the encounter” amid the current climate of “political polarization,” and is rooted in the Summit’s structure, which is closely coordinated with the Organization of American States (OAS).

“The non-invitation to Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela —countries that, for various reasons, have decided not to be part of the OAS and did not participate in the last edition of the Summit of the Americas— constitutes the decision that, given hemispheric circumstances, favors the largest convening and ensures the development of the forum,” the Ministry...

The UN Security Council on Tuesday, 30 September 2025 authorized a new multinational Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in Haiti to replace the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), amid escalating gang violence, widespread rights abuses and a humanitarian emergency affecting all aspects of life in the island nation.

The resolution – co-penned by Panama and the United States, and backed by dozens of countries in the region and beyond – was adopted by a vote of 12 in favor, with three abstentions from China, Pakistan, and Russia.

President Abinader had advanced during his 29 September 2025 press conference that the Kenyan force could be extended to December after which a new UN mission would be sent.

The GSF expands the international security force in Haiti from around 700 to 5,500 men. What is different this time, in addition to the larger contingent, is that...

Foreign Relations Minister Roberto Alvarez and Industry & Commerce Minister Victor (Ito) Bisono are in Washington, D.C. for the American Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Dominican Week in USA. The event, started by late lawyer Luis Heredia Bonetti, is in its 33rd year.

Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez attended on 29 September 2025 the opening of the Dominican Week in the United States. The initiative seeks to highlight the Dominican Republic as a trustworthy business partner, focusing on nearshoring, logistics, innovation, legal and financial services, intellectual property, and diaspora relations.

The ceremony took place at the Dominican Embassy Residence in Washington, with the participation of Ambassador María Isabel Castillo Báez, OAS Ambassador Mayerlyn Cordero, business leaders, and diplomatic representatives from both nations.

The Dominican Week in the USA...

President Luis Abinader visited the Luis Eduardo Aybar Health City on 30 September 2025 to inaugurate the last remaining hospital included in the mega health complex. The capital city medical city center was begun in 2012 during the government of former President Danilo Medina with an announced budget of RD$4 billion. President Abinader announced that it has been completed at a cost four times the initial announced cost.

According to the Minister of Housing and Edifications, Carlos Bonilla, the total investment in the Health City amounted to RD$16 billion. The current administration executed RD$3.2 billion of that amount to finalize approximately 30% of the remaining work.

The surgery building, the last to be completed in the mega health city, was named to honor neurosurgeon Jose Joaquin Puello who took on the responsibility to complete the project left half way...

The Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD) has announced a reduction in its monetary policy interest rate (MPR) by 25 basis points (bps), moving it from 5.75% to 5.50% annually.

This decision aims to introduce more flexible monetary conditions to help boost domestic demand given the changing external situations. The BCRD stated that while global uncertainty persists, the measure was taken because international financial conditions are becoming less restrictive.

Alongside the MPR cut, the rate for the permanent liquidity expansion facility (1-day Repos) has also been reduced from 6.25% to 6.00% annually. The rate on remunerated deposits (Overnight), however, will remain unchanged at 4.50% annually.

The Central Bank’s move is supported by a stable domestic inflation environment.• Inflation has remained within the target range of 4.0%±1.0%...

The Ministry of Education (MINERD) announced Tuesday, 30 September 2025, that an investigation confirmed a music video with vulgar content was filmed inside a public school.

In response, the Ministry announced the suspension of several school staff —coordinators and administrative personnel— for investigative purposes. They are being held responsible for the improper use of school facilities.

The Ministry stated that the filming of the video constitutes a direct violation of the formation and education in values, as well as the integrity and the best interest of children and adolescents.

Consequently, the Ministry of Education says it is filing a formal complaint with the Public Ministry to identify all those responsible and determine the extent of each individual’s criminal liability.

Furthermore, the education authority announced it will ask the...

The Attorney General’s Office announced on Tuesday, 30 September 2025 that 11 members of the National Police have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the deaths of five men during a purported shootout. The incident took place on 10 September in a commercial plaza parking lot located on Olímpica Avenue in the La Barranquita sector of Santiago city.

The incident had occurred on Wednesday, September 10th, and was initially reported as an alleged exchange of gunfire with National Police agents—a version that the police institution itself has not yet validated.

Family members of Valerio Estévez and other deceased individuals deny the police version of events, insisting it was a multiple execution. They have demanded an independent investigation and that justice be served.

The National Police initially reported that the deceased men were part of...

The Executive Branch has bestowed the country’s highest honor, the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella, Grand Cross Silver Plaque, to visionary entrepreneur Frank Rainieri Marranzini.

The Grand Cross, Silver Plaque, is usually awarded to members of Congress, magistrates of the Supreme Court of Justice, government ministers, ambassadors and the metropolitan archbishop.

The award, formalized in Decree 489-25 was issued by President Luis Abinader and is dated 29 August 2025. It recognizes Rainieri for two key areas:• His role as Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, where his service “contributed to strengthening bilateral relations” between the Dominican Republic and that diplomatic representation.• His extensive business career as the visionary founder of Punta Cana...

As the cold weather trickles in to the northeastern United States, for those living in western Connecticut and Massachusetts it is good to know there are now direct flights to Punta Cana from Bradley International Airport (BDL). Avelo Airlines has nonstop year-round, twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. The flight time is around four hours.

BDL is located in the city of Windsor Locks on the western side of Connecticut. It is close to Hartford, Connecticut and the Springfield, Massachusetts metropolitan areas. It is the second-largest airport in New England and is situated roughly halfway between Boston and New York City.

Avelo Air

30 September 2025

Last week, Minister of Tourism David Collado was in Paris for IFTM Top Resa 2025 to promote the Dominican Republic and sign new agreements to recover the French travel to Dominican destinations. The Dominican Republic was the guest country for the 2025 French tourism booking event.

During Top Resa, the president of Air Caraïbes, Marc Rochet, announced two weekly flights from Orly International in Paris to El Catey International Airport in Samana. The new route will start this coming winter.

Minister Collado said this is an important step to attract more French tourists.

The Ministry of Tourism went all out with the delegation explaining its objective is to get the French to again focus on traveling to the DR. He said French tourism has dropped from an average of 225,000 tourists to 144,000 in 2024.

Collado is hopeful the DR will be able to boost French travel to 250,000 by...

Saturday, 27 September 2025 was World Tourism Day, and somebody asked ChatGPT what were the best places for tourists to visit in the Dominican Republic. The answers were interesting.

Number one, to the enjoyment of the Raineri family, was Punta Cana, the paradise onthe eastenr tip of the Dominican Republic that is the hottest tourist destination in theCaribbean.

The second place went to the Colonial City in Santo Domingo, a historic area that the UNESCO named a World Heritage Site in 1990. The ChatGPT noted the history and colonial edifices.

In third place was Bahia de las Aguilas, down on the coast in southwestern Pedernales province. Currently, you need to take a boat to reach Bahia de las Aguilas, yet the pristine beach is the centerpiece of the development program for the area.

In fourth place is the Samana Peninsula and the El Limon waterfalls, Las Galeras...